Deep garnet color; cherry, black plum, raspberry, tomato, balsalmic, mint, oak on the nose and palate; some earth and oak on the finish.
Dry; serviceable Chianti Classico; some sour cherry notes; unobtrusive tannins and acidity; medium body. A bit harsh and disjointed on pop-and-pour; benefits from decanting. Chianti Classico is the fourth ranking in the Chianti system and means it was made in a historic restricted area between Florence and Siena and experienced 10-12 months of aging. Chianti is made mostly with sangiovese grapes.
The Chianti name designates that it comes from a specific region in Tuscany. There are seven sub-regions of Chianti. Sangiovese is particularly influenced by where it grows. This comes from a coop winery—the largest in Chianti—so mix of various regions. Chianti Classico is identified by a black rooster logo (gallo nero, symbol of the old Military League of Chianti). The DOCG designation with Chianti Classico means at least 80 percent of the wine is sangiovese. 13.5% ABV
Castelli del Grevepesa is a cooperative winery, the vision of Sir Armando Nunzi in the 1960s. The initial group included 18 winegrowers. Today, the cooperative includes more than 120 winegrowers. That makes it the largest Chianti Classico producer. The website notes: “Every strip of land, every single vineyard has its own history, microclimate and specific terrain, cultivated and cared for with passion and skill by the proprietor families according to age-old rules and methods. Many of these families, from the various Chianti Classico regions, have united to form the great Castelli del Grevepesa family, to offer everyone the privilege of savouring the highest quality Chianti Classico wines.”
Castelli del Grevepesa Clemente VII Chianti Classico DOCG 2018 is a click below their usual quality but remains a very serviceable Chianti Classico effort from the region’s largest coop winery. Assertive red fruits that mellow out with exposure to air; decant for best experience. Not outstanding, but acceptable QPR. Pair with Italian pasta dishes with tomato sauces; pizza; rich cuts of beef—bistecca alla fiorentina, porterhouse steak, ribeye; barbecue beef, pork, chicken; wild game, including boar—slow simmered ragù al chingiale; lamb; veal; Chianti goes with especially well with tomato-based dishes; cured meats, charcuterie board. Cheese—harder cheeses; parmesan, cheddar; parmigiano-reggiano, pecorino toscano, grana padano, asiago, provolone, fontina, colby. $17-20
Castelli del Grevepesa website
